(1) Vietnam Economic Research Project
The Vietnam Economic Research Project has integrated training and research in innovative ways to maximise its impact on current Vietnamese policy decisions as Vietnam experiences a period of rapid growth that has highlighted institutional difficulties in transforming its economy. Utilising both academic and student research, regular conferences were held in Vietnam with government, academia and international institutions participating. A wide range of issues were covered, including the rural credit market, agricultural policy, macroeconomic and exchange rate policies, reform of state-owned enterprises and the financial sector, the role of foreign direct investment in Vietnamese industry, savings behaviour, and the participation of women and children in economic activity in Vietnam.
This was an institutional linkage project comprising NCDS/Crawford School from Australia, the Central Institute for Economic Management and the National Economics University in Hanoi, as well as the Economics University of Ho Chi Minh City. 14 PhD theses, five workshops and two international conferences, plus two books were produced in this project which ran from 1994 to 1999. This project was funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and AusAID.
(2) Private Enterprise Development in Vietnam
A study examining key aspects of Vietnam’s business climate and the prospects for growth and investment in the domestic private sector was conducted from 2000 to 2002. The project assessed the dynamics of private enterprises at the aggregate level, the evolution of government policies toward the private sector, the main aspects of the business environment and the major constraints faced by private entrepreneurs. A large survey was conducted in 10 locations in Vietnam using a parallel study of state-owned enterprises for comparison. The study was carried out in cooperation with the Central Institute of Economic Management, with financial support from the Mekong Project Development Facility, the World Bank and International Finance Corporation.
(3) Public Policy Teaching and Research Project in Vietnam
The Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy (HCMNPA) and the Crawford School have joined to conduct a project on public policy research and teaching. The HCMNPA is the think tank and major training institute of the Vietnamese Communist Party.
This project involves designing the curriculum, preparing the lectures, and training the lecturers for a course on public policy to be taught by Academy staff throughout Vietnam to senior government officials. The research component involves surveys of senior officials in key policy-making ministries in an effort to understand the process leading to major policy changes in relation to foreign direct investment in Vietnam. This project is expected to be completed in 2006 with major conferences in Canberra and in Hanoi. AusAID funds this project.
Dr Suiwah Leung, Dr Amy Liu and Dr Tom Kompas from the Crawford School have been actively involved in projects (1) and (3) above. Dr Doan Hong Quang (formerly the Crawford School and currently World Bank, Hanoi) was responsible for project (2) above.
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